Cure What Ales You
by TheSullenPrincess
Summary: Blame it on the alcohol. (Pregame BoTW)


Cure What Ales You

* * *

Zelda walked beneath another archway and into a spacious hall lined with unlit torches in stone sconces and never-ending red carpet. It was just one of many foyers that connected corridors to one another, something the Princess of Hyrule knew very well from years of exploring the castle she called home in her younger days as a bored child.

She walked slowly, relishing in the quietness of the space. Beams of sun flittered through the glass skylights overhead, as did through the tall, narrow windows that were evenly spaced apart, giving brief views of the world outside as she moved. Thick, lush carpet silenced every step as Zelda continued on aimlessly. She really didn't have a destination in mind, only that she wanted to put as much distance between herself and the party being held downstairs.

After successfully gathering everyone into the throne room, they had been treated to a short but formal ceremony where King Rhoam officially appointed Urbosa, Revali, Mipha, Daruk, and Link as Champions of Hyrule, to boldly face the coming danger that was Calamity Ganon. Leading them all as their Commandant would be none other than Zelda herself.

Following the Inauguration Ceremony, it was time to properly celebrate in the dining hall. The usually-solemn room had been converted to match the joyous occasion, with banners and expensive silks hanging from rafters, chandeliers, and windows, while in a corner musicians played lively music. The long tables that usually sat down the middle of the room had been pushed against the walls and piled high with rich Hylian fare, leaving enough room for other cultural dishes to allow the other races to feel at home. The center space was left empty for people to mill about and come and go as they pleased. While the short ceremony had been strictly held for the Champions and their representatives, the party welcomed many more guests into the reception. The room was absolutely teeming with people by the time Princess Zelda and her entourage of warriors entered, walking into deafening applause and cheers, effectively turning the room into an overwhelming mass of loud noises and very little breathing room.

People happily chatted and laughed good-naturedly, enjoying the food and company, freely giving themselves into the celebration's promise for a better Hyrule. And although it appeared everyone seemed to do so, there was one who was not as invested.

Silently wrestling with her thoughts and emotions from her spot at the edge of the dining hall, the Princess of Hyrule watched the festivities with distant eyes, barely listening when a nobleman approached to congratulate her. Her mind instead was elsewhere, wondering how her father could have blatantly lied to his subjects, given them false hope, promised the impossible when he, in fact, knew the truth. That without Zelda's sealing powers, Hyrule was as good as doomed.

It was around the third time answering the same question—almost downright robotically—that it suddenly all started becoming too much. She could feel her composure slipping, her eyes watering, the mask breaking. The scene before her felt too fake, too insulting, too _humiliating_ that if she didn't flee soon, Zelda feared she would make a scene.

The last thing she wanted was more eyes on her. So, with her heart thumping and making certain no one paid her any attention, Princess Zelda exited through an unguarded hall, not daring to look back.

She stopped now at a window to tug the fabric of her layered skirts from between her legs. The formal gown had been designed to make a statement with its intricate embroidery, multiple petticoats, and rich, deep blue color. The long skirt lightly trailed to form a small train behind her despite the heels she wore. Wide, double-layered sleeves flowed from her elbows to stop just below her knees, exposing an inner lining of red satin. The edges of the dress were trimmed in gold to match the impressively heavy ornamental banner that hung on her waist, made of gold satin, metal, and thick embroidery. A simple gold and ruby-studded tiara finished the look while pulling it all together. It was thick and heavy and always left a mark when Zelda removed it at the end of the day but it was by far the easiest piece to wear out of everything else in her ensemble.

The shoes were already causing blisters and the metal lining of the banner kept constantly knocking against her knees when she walked, despite the many layers of fabric in between. She was certain to develop bruises by morning. The dress felt heavy with every step taken, weighing her down considerably but unsure if it really was the garment itself or just Zelda's burden that made it weigh more. She was grateful, nonetheless, she only ever wore it when in the castle, and only to appease her father's vision on what a 'proper princess' should look like. Truth be told, Zelda had never been particularly bothered to worry over her appearance beyond having her handmaidens keep her hair neat and brushed and clothes clean and pressed, preferring instead for the far more practical and comfortable traveler's attire she wore when out scouting.

The princess sighed, finally straightening out the thick material. How she would trade anything right now for her riding slacks and boots.

A loud boom resonated from outside, shaking the glass of the window. Zelda looked out just in time to see another rocket shoot into the air and explode into an impressive array of colors and shapes and smoke. The festivities were still in full bloom, it seemed.

She quickly moved on. Or at least, she tried when, out of nowhere, the forelocks that framed her face suddenly floated around her, while the ends of her sleeves also hovered in place. Zelda frowned. Had someone opened a window somewhere nearby? Before she could even take a step to investigate, the draft quickly turned into a gust, then a full-blown updraft, sending her gold hair wildly wiping about her face and dress billowing all around her. Her eyes scrunched shut as arms instinctively came up to protect her head. Just as soon as the gale had started, it stopped.

"I believe _this_ belongs to you."

"What—?" Emerald-colored eyes shot open in alarm upon feeling something solid, warm, and heavy being shoved into her arms. Instinctively, Zelda grabbed for whatever it was—but was soon left reeling in shock and almost letting go by accident.

Link's dirty blond hair was plastered to his forehead with sweat and his cheeks were bright red. His eyes were closed but his mouth hung open, an unattractive line of silva ran down his chin. A strong distinct smell was coming off of him in nauseating waves that Zelda wanted nothing more than to drop him right then and there just to distance herself from it. Instead—and with major effort—she focused her attention on her other Champion, the one who had spoken first.

Revali stood a respectable distance away, looking tall and proud like always. There was no hint—not even the smallest trace of concern over his comrade's condition. In fact, he looked quite smug. Zelda was apprehensive when she finally asked, "What happened to him?" fearing the worst from the Rito archer.

"Isn't it obvious? He's drunk."

"Link doesn't get drunk."

"Well, he _got_ drunk," Revali shot back, ruffling his navy-blue feathers.

Zelda was very much used to this type of behavior from the smarmiest of the group. She was actually relieved Revali treated her like a normal person and not a child of royal lineage, even if he did sometimes come off as rude. She had come to know the warrior quite well in recent days and was surprised to find they even shared something in common. Namely, a heated disdain for a certain sword wielder.

"He said he could handle it."

Zelda arched a brow at this. "And you believed him?" she asked him flatly.

The curvature of the Rito's beak spoke volumes yet he still chose to verbally answer her question. "No," mockingly adding, "he's your problem now, Princess," with a flourished bow of his powerful wings.

She was about to retort hotly when a weak moan made her look down. Link was regaining consciousness, squirming so much she was having a hard time holding him up. Her arms gave a bit and he collapsed a little. But even in such a haggard state, Link's instincts still managed to kick-in and his hands shot out to grab onto the closest thing to him.

Zelda yelped as she desperately tried to pull up the front of the dress Link was trying to pull down, like a twisted game of tug-of-war. She managed to pry his fingers one by one off the delicate bodice before he could permanently expose her. Her muscles ached by the time she succeeded in restraining him that Zelda no longer cared and let go of him entirely. Link wrapped his arms around her knees before he could hit the ground completely and pressed his face against the cool metal of the golden banner, sighing in contentment.

The princess, on the other hand, was left out of breath and panting, feeling red-faced and hot from a mixture of embarrassment, frustration, and overexertion. By the time Zelda was well enough to face Revali again, she met his stare head-on, trying to look as dignified as possible. Well, as dignified as one _could_ look with a drunken knight clinging to their legs. The Rito's amused smile let Zelda know she was not successful in the slightest and resorted to narrowing her eyes at him in warning.

"Well, it looks like you have everything under control here..." Revali retained the smile even as he crouched low to summon a light gust from underneath him. His newly appointed blue Champion's garb fluttered around his neck.

The action caused Link to stir once more. "Are we still flying?" He mumbled absently with his face still pressed into the cool metal, splaying one arm out at his side and moving it up and down to mimic the process of flight. The hair that wasn't mated to his face with perspiration was swept back by the draft. "It feels like we're still flying."

Zelda gaped at the Rito. "You flew him _all_ the way here? In his condition?" Suddenly, the possibility of seeing her knight upheave caused her to take an involuntary step back, completely forgetting about the hold Link still had on her with his non-flying arm. Instinctively, her hand shot out to grab a fistful of his sweat-soaked hair to steady herself, earning a pained moan from the knight. Zelda immediately withdrew her hand after rightening and wiped it off on the side of her dress with a disgusted look.

"Would you have rather I'd paraded him around for all to see?"

She kept silent.

"Besides," the warrior went on, gale still in effect, "as much as I would have relished the sight of the kingdom getting a real look at their—" he forced a cough "—_hero_, I unfortunately still have to be seen alongside him. And no one makes the great Revali look bad."

_Except, of course, Revali himself._ Zelda fought to roll her eyes. "So, _did_ anyone see him like this?"

Revali shrugged, obviously through discussing the topic of his rival. As far as he saw it, reuniting princess and knight was his civic duty and good deed for the day. With that out of the way, he was free to do as he pleased. Case in point: Revali fluffed out his feathers and took to the air without another word, soaring down the corridor at an incredible speed, blue cloth flapping behind him like a cape.

"Traitor," the princess muttered at the Rito's retreating form before returning her attention to her knight, who was now so still he could have been asleep for all she knew. Without Revali's presence, Zelda could take her time assessing Link properly. His brand new Champion's tunic was a wrinkled mess, stained in the front with small wet patches that had turned the light-blue fabric dark and unattractive. He reeked—both his breath and clothing—of Noble Pursuit, the famous alcoholic drink favored by the women of the desert. So much so that the princess couldn't help but wonder if Urbosa was somehow behind all this. The Gerudo Chieftain was known to be very...brazen when it came to livening up parties.

At least the Master Sword seemed unscathed as it gleamed brightly under the sun's rays.

_What now?_ Green eyes stared blindly ahead. This was _not_ how the Princess of Hyrule imagined her day going.

The statement was punctuated by an ill-timed hiccup from Link. Zelda had to refrain from screaming in frustration. It would not help matters should someone happen to hear and come across the two in such a...compromising situation. Things were difficult enough without adding 'public scandal' to her growing list of shortcomings.*** The only logical solution seemed to move before they got caught.

She mentally readied herself. Then, on a wing and a prayer, bent down to wrench Link off her and into a standing position. Managing to sling one of his arms around her shoulders, Zelda took a step forward—and immediately almost fell over, her knees suddenly buckling under the weight of Link going completely boneless. It took her two tries to keep both of them standing.

Zelda's labored breathing and the sounds of Link's boots dragging across the carpet were the only noises in the vacant corridor. If she thought moving in her dress was hard before, it was nearing downright impossible now. The garment was becoming increasingly difficult to maneuver in, not only bunching often between her legs without being able to pull the material loose but now she was stepping on it too, causing her to jolt every time. Adding Link's weight on top of it all and it was just torture. Zelda was certain she'd have to burn the gown with the amount of sweat that was being absorbed into the material from the both of them.

_Something good may come out of this yet_, she darkly mused, keeping her thoughts elsewhere than the burning in her thighs, calves, and throat. But it wasn't until they had made some headway, almost reaching the end of the hallway that it suddenly hit her—just where exactly _was_ she going?

Zelda stopped, locking her legs to keep from crumbling under all the weight. Link moaned pitifully at the sudden stop but otherwise had yet to wake up again. With no plan, how was she supposed to fix this? Better yet, why was _she_ the one to fix this?

The princess frowned down at the top of Link's head. She could have just as easily ordered Revali to take Link to her father—let the king see firsthand the state of 'Hyrule's Hero'. Link would surely be reprimanded for his less than professional behavior, and possibly even lose his rank as Captain of Zelda's guard. It would certainly mean she would no longer have him follow her around anymore and that's what she wanted, wasn't it?

_So then, why didn't you do that?_

The thought left her feeling stumped, like not knowing the answer to a tough question. Zelda didn't like the feeling. It implied she cared enough about Link that she would go through all the trouble for him—which couldn't have been further from the truth. She loathed him, despised him. She worked hard only to come up short every time while Link was given everything for nothing. He was a constant reminder of her own failures and the reason Zelda felt the need to hate him as he walked about carrying the darkness-sealing sword, literally waving his accomplishment under her nose. Adding insult to injury, her father was always quick to compare the two.

Yet something made her help him... But what—

"Are we still flying?"

Zelda's glare had little to no effect as Link proceeded to once again, pretend to fly—with both arms outstretched this time, nearly hitting her in the process. "Quit that right now before I drop you, and help me come up with a—hey!"

In a flash, the gold and ruby diadem was off her head and being placed atop Link's own, albeit at a skewed angle. He gave her such a serious look that, for a moment, Zelda thought he had come back to his senses somehow. But even as his tone also conveyed this, his words did not, "I am the Princess of Hyrule. You _will_ bow to me."

Zelda wasn't amused, glaring harder. "You're annoying."

After brief consideration, he nodded once. "I'll take it," he said before reverting back into his old drunken self. "Where are we goooinggg?"

"Far away where no one will see you like this."

"But it's a party. We need to celebrate."

"_No_, we need to get you sober. Goddess, you're heavy." Zelda sorely wished to give her aching muscles a break but knew it would be hard for her to get Link back on his feet if she did. "Mind helping out here? You're not exactly light as a feather."

"But I am stiff as a board."

Zelda closed her eyes, inhaling and exhaling out through her nose as slowly and as evenly as she could. She even called on anyone happening to listen to her pleas for the strength not to strangle her knight out of frustration. By the time she opened them back up, the princess had vowed to ignore whatever inappropriate nonsense came out of Link's mouth going forward. Even so, there was nothing stopping the burning blush crawling up her neck.

"Kiss me, Princess."

_Ignore him. Just ignore everything he says. From now on, just focus on what's impor_—She pulled out of her thoughts with an audible gasp. Link had somehow managed to get loose, only to end up trying to crawl underneath her skirt one-handed.

"St-stop—stop it!" Zelda growled, forcibly pulling back on the collar of his tunic and choking him in the process. Her eye was twitching fiercely, a vein throbbed near it. She had had enough of the drunk knight antics. It was clear she wouldn't be able to do this on her own, desperately needing help from someone she could trust to keep quiet.

The first who came to mind was Urbosa, though, Zelda wasn't entirely sure the Gerudo wasn't also the one who got Link drunk in the first place so, she was quickly out. Zelda couldn't possibly see what Daruk could do to contribute to the situation, and she didn't think Revali would have a change of heart anytime soon. That only left—

"Of course! Mipha!"

"Where?" Link hoarsely asked, squinting down the opposite end of the hallway.

"No. _Mipha_. She can—Oh, never mind." Explaining would have resulted in too much time and energy. Both of which Zelda had very little of at this point. Even with all her years and experience in meditation training, she could feel her patience slipping the longer time went on.

_Mipha's power to heal... Does that even apply to intoxication?_ Zelda bit her bottom lip in worry at the thought of asking the Zora Princess to use her divine powers in such a meaningless manner, but it was the only plan she had. She didn't have a clue if it would even work but she _did_ know that Mipha and Link were good friends. Although the extent to that was unknown to the Hylian Princess, it was enough for Zelda to hope Mipha would try her best to help Link.

"What smells so bad?"

_Or at the very least_, she thought over the sounds of gagging, _stay with him so that I no longer have to._

Her eyes carefully scanned their current surroundings, calculating they were somewhere within the east passages of the castle if the outside view through the window of the moat and surrounding scenery was any indicator. It was not ideal but it would have to do. They had quite the walk to make to get to the other side.

"Let's go." The pair set off once more, with Link actually helping this time.

The halls were quiet. The spongy carpet further absorbed the sounds of rustling and heavy footfalls. The majority of the guards and staff had been delegated to help keep things running smoothly in the dining room, leaving most of the castle bare but not completely unguarded. Zelda kept this in mind as she led them around another corner with caution, hoping the wing reserved for the royal family was just as unoccupied when she tried sneaking Link into her chambers.

Not exactly something the Princess of Hyrule thought she would ever be wishing for.

Having Mipha come to them was the best option overall though, most of the trek getting there was long and winding as they cut through the library and the upper levels of the sanctum to reach their destination faster. It did, however, allow time for rest in empty rooms and hallways until finally, they reached the hall that led to Zelda's bedroom. And, as luck would have it, there were no guards in sight.

She could have jumped up and down in joy had it not been for the extra weight weighing her down. Link had remained remarkably quiet during their trip, not even so much as a belch to be heard from him.

The room was just as she had left it, if not a little tidier. The maids had surely been in to clean up, which meant Zelda didn't have to worry about them showing up during the time she was out. Momentarily leaning Link against the wall next to the door they'd just come in through, she quickly made her way deeper into the room and over to the full-length mirror, needing to check her appearance before heading back out to flag a guard down with her request to send for Mipha.

Despite her earlier sentiments, the dress wasn't in as bad a shape as she had expected it to be. There was a questionable stain on her right shoulder—most likely drool—and the whole bottom half of the dress was a wrinkled mess, while the top part was damp and a shade darker than the skirt. She also smelled like someone had dunked her head-first into a barrel of ale but otherwise... Presentable.

Zelda grimaced, grabbing a small bottle from off her vanity table nearby to spray her neck twice. She paused, shrugged, and proceeded to douse her entire body more thoroughly. It was only when she set the bottle down again that she wrinkled her nose. _Now_ she smelled like alcohol left sitting in a field of wild safflina.

She sighed mournfully. There was no time to waste changing, however. She hid the stain easily enough with her hair after brushing through the tangled mess Revali's gale had done. She finished off by redoing the braid that had become her trademark over the last few months. The first time Zelda had attempted to recreate it, it took her at least three hours and left her arms feeling incredibly sore. Now she could recreate the look in a matter of minutes. There wasn't anything she could do about the wrinkled skirt and damp bodice so she just hoped whoever she ran into either wouldn't notice or care enough to question it.

Zelda returned to where she had left her knight only to find him in the exact same position she had left him in. His back was completely pressed against the wall as he used his legs locked out in front to keep himself upright. His hair was no longer sticking to his face but it was still an unruly mess of blond locks. Link's eyes were closed but the sound coming out of his partially opened mouth was of soft hiccuping so at least she knew he wasn't dead. Although his pale skin and clammy features did worry Zelda slightly it also motivated her to get in touch with Mipha as soon as possible.

She turned toward the door, cast him one last wary look as she took back her tiara, reached for the door to turn the knob and—

heard the muted sound of a body falling to the floor. Link was now lying in a heap at her feet, face buried in the soft red carpet, unmoving, but snoring. Asleep.

Zelda blinked down at him for a heartbeat before walking out of the room without a second glance.

* * *

Needless to say, the princess was in quite the good mood by the time she headed back to her chambers. Aside from feeling slightly guilty for making the guard uncomfortable, (something about a terrible monthly cycle and awful stomach cramps and _could he please just send for Princess Mipha to help why oh why does being a woman have to be so hard?_) things were definitely starting to look up and work themselves out. In no time, everything would be resolved and Zelda would go back to hating Link for a whole new set of different reasons.

Yet as she pushed the door open, mindful not to step on her knight on her way in, the thought that even a professional like Link could make mistakes pleased and satisfied Zelda very much. He was not as perfect as she had made him out to be in her mind. Link was not without flaws. He was just as prone to blunders and mishaps that perhaps it was a sign she should cut herself more slack. She was navigating without the use of a map, alone, in complete darkness, with her hands bound behind her back in attempting to awaken her powers so, surely, her father would be understanding of her struggles? Perhaps even letting Zelda help elsewhere, like at the tech lab to assist Impa and Purah and Robbie.

The idea sent a rush of newfound excitement and hope to course through her, enough to make her smile down at her feet where she expected to see the tangled mess that was Link still asleep. When instead all she found was the Master Sword, her smile faded.

She hadn't even been gone for that long! How was it possible to be in possession of such rotten luck?

Her eyes quickly scanned the massive room, unwilling to let herself fall to pieces but already feeling the pinpricks of panic creeping up her spine. There were too many places to hide and at least two exits. One of those being a spiral staircase leading up to her study. The other was the door she'd already locked behind her.

_Three, if you count the balcony_, her mind unhelpfully supplied. But by the way the chain was still hooked from the inside, Zelda didn't think Link had fallen to his death. Even so, after propping the sword against her nightstand, she checked the balcony and surrounding area (and yes, she even peeked over the railing for good measure) before moving to make her way up the grand staircase when a sound, so faint she would have missed it had she exhaled at that very moment came through a single door on her left.

Zelda felt the color leave her face.

Without a second's hesitation, she was already bursting through to find—sure enough—Link, with the strangest look on his face, like a child having found the secret stash of sweets. Multicolor lacey garments hung off his fingers like the loose, elongated branches of a weeping willow tree.

The silence that followed was like no other. Time seemed to slow down. Zelda could practically feel her soul leave her body.

Perhaps she had been just a tad too optimistic earlier, thinking that the worst was over. When in fact the worst was watching in silent horror as her knight made a noise like a mewl but was otherwise unperturbed in his discovery of the newly acquired women's underclothing, except to pick up more and stare up at the princess. His eyes, with their glazed-over look, moved up and down her body like he'd suddenly gained the ability to look through her clothing. Zelda tried her best not to shrink back and cover herself with her hands like an idiot.

His arms were elbow-deep in her undergarments drawer by the time she pulled up beside him, yanked his arms out, pulled off five panties and two bras from his fingers and slammed the drawers along with the doors to the armoire shut with a resounding bang. She somehow managed to haul Link back into the main room and practically throw him in the direction of the bed as she locked the door behind them.

He fell with a whimper, landing facefirst into the mattress while his lower-half sagged over the edge, his legs crumpled up beneath him. Zelda herself sunk into a big upholstered armchair at the foot of the bed, out of breath and shaking. Whether from rage or mortification, she didn't know. She closed her eyes, feeling her chest heaving as her heart beat a million beats a minute and the hot rush of blood sounded deafening in her ears. With no more energy left, they both fell into silence.

For several moments, Zelda just listened to her own breathing evening out, refusing to open her eyes to the reality that was her life now. And while she couldn't hear or see if Link himself could breathe with his face buried into the thick duvet, she also didn't think he'd suffocate. After all they had been through in the last couple of hours, she couldn't possibly be _that_ fortunate.

There was the faint rustling of sheets. "I didn't know there were so many colors and patterns. So soft and…pretty."

Zelda moaned plaintively, covering her face with her hands. Why was it that she could never catch a break? "Shut up," she groaned, and even though her face was covered her words were clear. "Just, _please, shut up_." Too exhausted for anything else, she relented, hoping he will too.

But it seemed Link wasn't done with the matter just yet as he continued, "I mean I know girls wear them but, I don't have much experience there."

The Princess of Hyrule felt herself frown, unsure where the conversation was heading yet sensed it couldn't be anywhere good if their past exchanges were anything to go by. Zelda decided to block him out as best she could. She didn't know the limitations on Mipha's powers but something told Zelda the Zora Princess couldn't bring people back from the dead.

"I realize I just became your appointed knight, but my life has always been about training to take on the role of a lifetime. It hasn't exactly been my own." He paused. "That is until I saw all the food."

Despite her attempts at ignoring her knight, the strange remark had her cracking one eye open. Link was still on his stomach but had turned his head her way in order to breath and talk, ass still hanging off the edge of the bed. His eyes were closed, features slack and relaxed. Zelda sat up slightly to better regard him and, against her better judgment, repeated, "Food?"

He nodded, still not opening his eyes. "It all looked so good. Half of the stuff I didn't even know what it was when I was shoveling it into my mouth. I needed something to wash it down and the closest thing was—"

"Noble Pursuit," Zelda muttered. It was all starting to make sense now. "Didn't anyone warn you those things aren't to be taken lightly? The Gerudo drink the stuff like it's water but only because they have developed a tolerance for it. To anyone else…" she side-eyed Link, not needing to say anything further.

"I thought I could handle it."

She rolled her eyes. "So I've heard. Then what happened?"

After a few sloppy attempts, Link finally managed to hoist himself up, digging in his knees and using his legs to turn and push his body further towards the center of the bed and closer to where Zelda sat. Once he was in place he rolled over onto his back. With his head now at the foot of the bed, he plopped his boot-clad feet on her pristine white pillows. She gave him the dirtiest look she could muster that unfortunately went unnoticed by Link. He sighed. "Then I just kept eating. And drinking. And eating and drinking and eating and drinking and—"

"And _then_?"

"I felt…full."

Zelda sighed exasperatedly, massaging her temples in the hopes that it would alleviate the pain that had nothing to do with the band of heavy gold sitting atop her head. "What does food have _anything_ to do with you taking back control of your life?"

Link didn't answer right away. There was a far-off look in his eyes as he stared at the canopy above his head. For a moment, Zelda wondered if he was going to throw up or even answer at all when he finally said, "I guess because food has been the one thing in life that I have always been able to control. And I thought… I thought that if I could get that control back, everything else would fall into place."

Zelda looked down at her lap, trying hard to brush off Link's comment of being unhappy under her services as easily as smoothing out some of the smaller wrinkles in her dress. She hadn't expected such a profound answer. Given how stoic Link was since their first encounter Zelda naturally expected a bland response. Now, however, as the alcohol loosened his tongue to speak more freely she couldn't help but gauge the depth of that stoicism.

The Hero wasn't meant to think. He only served to swing the sword that sealed the darkness. So, she worked out, Link must have gotten very good at swinging swords around in order to ward off the heavy criticism that came with—as he had put it—the role of a lifetime. But while he had adapted quite easily to his destiny, she had not and for that, Zelda couldn't see him as anything more than an obstruction on her path to unlocking her powers. An inconvenience she told herself, a hindrance. Nothing more. She didn't have time to think about anyone else's problems when she herself was struggling with a major problem of her own. Zelda looked back up to tell Link as much when the words died in her throat over the serene look on his face. A small smile in place with eyes closed. He looked like a weight had been lifted off his chest.

_Was it really that easy?_ she couldn't help but wonder. Would _she_ feel at peace if she, too, voiced her problems as easily as Link did? Zelda doubted it very much. Nothing in her life was so cut and dry and simple. But what if...

"But what if..." Her words were barely above a whisper, as if she were unable to say them any louder. "What if the source is something you really can't control because...it's no longer there." Zelda momentarily gripped the arms of the chair before letting go, like her words.

"I always thought that I'd be like Purah and Robbie who dedicated all their time to uncovering the next big discoveries in science." She smiled. "Ever since I was a child, it had always been a dream of mine. Mother loved when I used to play at being a scholar, saying I could go far with my enthusiasm for learning someday." Zelda's smile faltered. Fisted hands created new wrinkles that soon disappeared from view as her eyes watered. "My mother is dead. And with her, the secret to unlocking my powers. So tell me, what then?"

Zelda bowed her head, unshed tears still clinging to her lashes but also unwilling to let Link see her cry. As she waited for her knight to formulate a response, the princess, too, tried to make sense of her own words in the meantime. But even as she tried, something kept drawing her back, something like a distant memory trying to set itself free within her very core.

And suddenly, Zelda was six again, standing before the most beautiful woman she had ever laid eyes on. Her mother was smiling down at her, mouth forming words that Zelda had heard several times before. Words she had forgotten until now.

"My little bird, all will be well in the end." Zelda's eyes were wide, staring at her lap without really seeing it as she clung onto the memory of her mother's face. "Of course," she muttered, "Mother was always right. All _will_ be well in the end. It _must_ be." As much as she loathed to admit it, Zelda knew she and Link were fated to stop the Calamity and bring peace to Hyrule, together. It was their birthright, engraved into them down to their very soul. It was in accordance with the prophecy. But most importantly, it was their shared destiny.

"Even after all this time, she is still with me," a tear finally spilled forth, rolling down her cheek to land on the top of her right hand where supposedly, powerful magic lay dormant just below the translucent surface of her skin. "I'm scared, I... I don't know what I'm doing. I feel helpless and at a loss what to do but... But I'm also willing to believe that things will turn out well in the end now, just like she said. Even if I am not in control."

She finally looked up, beaming at Link. He hadn't even so much as stirred. His breathing was even. Asleep again. Zelda reclined more comfortably into the seat, momentarily closing her eyes and just content in listening to Link's soft snores rebound off the stone walls of her bedroom, deftly putting an end to a bizarre first journey together.

She felt it all through her body. The sensation of peace was overwhelming and alien to her but not unpleasant. Even the silent tears freely rolling down her face felt cleansing. Zelda was too smart to know this didn't exactly mean she was any closer to obtaining her powers. But it definitely was the first step towards helping her, at least she hoped so.

As for her tricky relationship with Link, well...

After a moment, she wiped her face, got up, and quietly made her way over to him, peering down at the boy to make sure he was actually sleeping. Then, with precise, practiced movements, she managed to carefully slip off his hair tie and push the hair off his face to gather it in one place.

...That remained to be seen.

"Perhaps, I was wrong, after all," she quietly revealed to an empty room, to an unconscious knight. To her heart. "Perhaps we are more alike than I once previously thought." The braid was messy and not at all like hers but Zelda was proud, nonetheless. She felt just a tad giddy removing her circlet and setting it just below Link's newly done braid. Taking a step back to admire her work, Zelda tried not to laugh too loudly as she muffled the sounds with a hand. With the other, she reached for something in the top drawer of her bedside table. Her grin never wavered.

Far _too much alike_, she mused. "Smile, _Princess_." As the soft click of the Sheikah Slate immortalized the moment forever, there were a few things she hoped wouldn't be. But even if Link happened to remember any of them, Zelda would remember to blame it on the alcohol.


End file.
